Finding A Job After A-Levels

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You will find there is no specific job market for 17 or 18 year old school leavers, as most jobs have gradually become saturated with graduates.

Meanwhile, the increase in the number of graduates means that A level school leavers can find themselves competing for non-graduate jobs with graduates. There may also be competition from 16 and 17 year old school leavers starting jobs through apprenticeships, internships, and national training programmes. However, during recent years some sectors have begun targeting A level school leavers, for example customer service, retail management, engineering, Civil Service and the travel industry.

Benefits of being an A level school leaver starting work

• Employers will see that you have the ability and determination to achieve a high level qualification such as A levels
• You will be older and more mature than those leaving after Year 11
• You know what your GCSE results are and can put them on your CV; the only results you’re waiting for are your A levels
• There are some jobs, like social work and the police, that you can not apply for if you are under 18
• You will probably have a better idea of what you want to do and where you want your career to go than younger job applicants
• You may be less likely to leave the job than a graduate
• You will be cheaper to employ than a graduate

If you think that entering the working world when you’ve finished your A levels is the right step for you, here are some of the most common first jobs that A level school leavers have:

• Clerical and administration
• Retail sales and distribution, e.g. supermarkets
• Information technology
• Hospitality and catering
• Production workers/assemblers; machine operatives in manufacturing
• Trainee technicians in manufacturing engineering and construction crafts
• Emergency and uniformed services
• Banking, insurance and financial services
• Health related – e.g. nurse training, technicians and care work
• Public sector
• Creative and media